As J.J. Watt stood in front of his locker after Monday night’s win, a swarm of reporters and cameras look up at him.

That happens when you lead the NFL in sacks. That happens when your team is 5-0.

Watt has been the best defensive player in the NFL this season. And while I think the 49ers are the best team in the NFL right now, the Texans are the AFC's best team and would be my pick to reach the Super Bowl if the playoffs began this weekend.

The road to the Super Bowl, however, just got tougher for the Texans. Losing linebacker Brian Cushing (torn ACL) for the season was huge. Houston has another national TV game Sunday night against the Packers, and if the Texans are going to remain unbeaten, they will have to adjust quickly.

Sunday night could be a sack party. Watt, second in the league with 7 1/2 sacks, will be on one side. Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, who leads the NFL with eight sacks, will be on the other.

There are several reasons why I still like the Texans to win Sunday night. For one, they're used to dealing with injuries. They did it last season, reaching the second round of the playoffs, despite losing quarterback Matt Schaub.

The Texans still have a formidable defense, even without Cushing. Wade Phillips is a savvy defensive coordinator, and Watt is a special player. Before Monday night’s game, Phillips chatted on the field with Jets coach Rex Ryan. Two guys that love defense, talking defense. Both of them raved about Watt, who sacked Mark Sanchez once and batted down three of his passes—two leading to interceptions.

"J.J. Watt’s the real deal," Ryan said. "You would think the Knicks would pick him up too, with all of the shot-blocking he did."

"He makes big play after big play," Phillips said with a smile. "He does it every game."

You can bet Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be watching a ton of tape on Watt this week. His explosiveness off the line of scrimmage, the way Watt never seems to tire as the game wears on.

The Seahawks sacked Rodgers eight times in one half last month. If the Packers don’t have a better plan for Watt, he’ll wreck havoc from his defensive end position.

Houston has two tough home games before their bye in Week 8—the Packers on Sunday, followed by the Ravens in Week 7. But don’t bet against the Texans getting to 7-0. Watt loves the attention his team is getting. Even more, he loves the winning.

"It won’t continue unless we keep working hard," Watt said. "But that’s what I love about this team. We go to practice, we attack. We have intensity at practice. That’s why we have success on Sundays."

Even without Cushing, don’t expect that success to stop.

PERCY HARVIN: ALL-EVERYTHING

The Vikings (4-1) may be the NFL’s biggest surprise, and Harvin could be the league’s biggest difference-maker for one team. He leads the NFL in all-purpose yards (814), showing up almost everywhere in the Vikings’ offense—out wide, in the slot, in the backfield and on special teams. He's making explosive plays how ever the Vikings use him. Sunday, the Vikings face the Redskins, who aren't sure if they'll have Robert Griffin III (concussion). Harvin almost certainly will make a few eye-opening plays.

"One of the best players in the NFL right now," Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder told reporters this week. "Very dynamic. He’s so athletic. We’re going to keep giving him the ball and he’s going to keep making plays."

Last year, the 49ers made the most dramatic turnaround in the NFC. This season, it could be the Vikings’ turn. The Cardinals (4-1) also started fast, but their porous offensive line is a concern. Led by Ponder, Harvin, Adrian Peterson and Jared Allen, the Vikings have a better chance to make the playoffs out of the NFC North, than the Cardinals out of the NFC West.

COWBOYS NEED TO FEED MURRAY

After a bye week, the Cowboys get a chance to redeem themselves in Baltimore on Sunday against the Ravens. Saying the Cowboys will play better than they did Week 4 against the Bears isn’t saying much. After a whipping like that, it will be interesting to see how Tony Romo and his teammates respond.

Memo to the Cowboys: Give DeMarco Murray the football. The Ravens are uncharacteristically yielding 118.4 yards per game rushing. For the Cowboys to win, they need to keep Ray Rice, Joe Flacco and the Ravens’ no-huddle offense off the field.

Over the next five weeks, the Cowboys play the Ravens, Giants, Falcons, and Eagles. It’s put up or shut-up time in Dallas.

LIONS REVERTING TO OLD WAYS

Since their 5-0 start in 2011, the Lions are 6-10, including regular season and playoffs. It’s a crucial game for the Lions on Sunday against the Eagles in Philadelphia. The way the Bears (4-1) and Vikings are playing in the NFC North, the Lions can’t afford to give up too much ground.

I don’t like the Lions on Sunday. I don’t think they can contain the Eagles’ pass rush, which could mean a long day for quarterback Matthew Stafford. Maybe the bye week gave the Lions a chance to work out their problems. But when you look at how the Lions have performed since last October, you don’t sense a team likely to turn things around.

WHERE I'LL BE SUNDAY

Giants at 49ers: The NFC’s most anticipated matchup of the season should live up to its billing. The 49ers have dominated their last two opponents. The Giants (3-2) have not played as well as the 49ers, but we know Eli Manning and his teammates love challenges like this and can rise to any occasion.

The 49ers are a more complete team at the moment. Their defense can be scary. The Giants’ pass rush has been surprisingly quiet and their secondary can give up big plays. Alex Smith, Vernon Davis and Frank Gore should make enough plays for the 49ers to come out on top. It’s not a playoff game, but it will feel like one. Can’t wait.